Apparatus for utilizing the force of water-falls



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1..

S. H. HAMILTON.

APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE FORGE OF WATER FALLS.

No. 407,007. ll tilgai mly 16, 1889..

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(No Model.)

S. H. HAMILTON. APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE FORGE OF WATER FALLS.

gi Z Patented July 16, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILAS IIANES HAMILTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE NIAGARA HYDRAULIC ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE FORCE OF WATER-FALLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.407,007, dated July 16, 1889.

Application filed September 1, 1888 Serial No. 284,337. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it. known that I, SILAs IIANES HAMILTON, of New York city, in the county of New York, and in the State of New York, a citizen of the 5 United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Utilizing the Force of \Vater-Falls; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being 1 had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my appararatus as preferably arranged. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of my apparatus I5 with a different style of motor.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is to enable a portion of the effective power of a water-fall to be utilized for the driving of machinery without disfiguring the fall or detracting from the beauty of the scenery; to which end my said invention consists in the mechanism used, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown.

In the carrying of my invention into practice I excavate within the breast A of a waterfall a space having such size as to adapt it to the special purpose intended, and within such space erect a building B, that has any desired number of stories I) and b. Upon the front of the building B is placed a vertical pipe C, which at its lower end is supported by a suitable foundation D, and at points between the same and its upper end is securely fastened to the wall of said building by means of straps E and E, that pass around said pipe and have their ends anchored within or bolted to said wall. At the lower end of the pipe C are laterally-extending branches 0 and c, that each communicate with a water-motor F, preferably a turbine wheel, which motor is suitably supported in place, and by means of a vertical shaft f and gearing f and g is connected with a horiZontally-arranged line-shaft G within either or each of the stories I) and h. To the upper end of the stationary pipe 0 is pivoted one end of a second pipe J, which from thence extends upward and is adapted to have its upper open end moved from or toward the building 13, preferably by means of a screw II, that passes through a nut h anchored in the front wall of the latter, and has its outer end swiveled within a U-shaped strap I, which has its ends pivoted upon the sides of said pipe, the arrangement being such as to enable the upper end of said pipe C to be moved outward until it is partly or entirely within the body of falling water A, and the latter is directed into and caused to till said pipe C.

The pipe C is preferably located so that when the pipe C occupies a vertical position its upper end will be just out of contact with the falling water. Said pipes are preferably connected by means of a ball-and-socket joint, but any other desired form of flexible connection may be used for such purpose.

\Vhen the pipe C is thrown outward so as to receive water, such water Will pass into and fill the pipe C, and through the same will pass to the motors F and F and cause the same to operate. In addition to the pressure produced by the head of the column of water, the momentum with which it enters the pipe C will give a large increase, so that by theuse of a comparatively short water-trunk a large effective power may be obtained and such power utilized for the operation of dynamos or any desired form of power convert- 8o ing or transmitting mechanism.

In Fig. 3 is shown an ordinary breastqvheel arranged so asto have its buckets Z0 70 impinged upon by the water from the deflectingchute. Such chute is, as in the mechanism illustrated in the other figures of the drawings, made adjustable toward and from the fall of water. The upper and rear sides of the wheel can be protected so as to prevent the water from impinging upon the same.

Obviously the deflector used for deflecting a portion of the fall so that it will impinge upon the wheel can be of any desired shape or construction without departure from my invention, as claimed by me in this present 5 case. I do not limit myself to the pipe form. Any form of device which will divide the main stream and deflect a portion thereof so that it can be brought into engagement with the wheel or motor can be used. Such de- I00 flector may then be of the tubular kind, which I prefer, or a trough or even piece, With an inclined plane surface to be brought into the path of a portion of the fall.

As my mechanism is entirely behind the sheet of Water, it renders practicable the utilization of the powerof aWater-fall Without in any manner disfiguring or lessening the natural beauties of the same. WVhere electric mechanism is driven by the motors, the employment at night of electric lights behind the sheet of Water would materially enhance the beauty of the same and produce startling effects.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is- As an improvement in mechanism for utilizing the force of falling water, a motor which is located within the breast of a water-fall in rear of the sheet ofwater, in combination with a chute that has one end connected with the casing of such motor, and its opposite end made adjustable by mechanism, substantially SILAS HANES HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

HENRY O. HAZARD, JAS. E. HU'ICHINSON. 

